ect Cornerstone

Thirty Years and Still Ticking By Greg LaHatte

M

y selection as an intern in 1977 at the AECT Convention in Miami was only fully appreciated in my later years. The privilege and access that others have spoken about was certainly afforded to our group. For those who can go back that far, Richard Gilkey was finishing his term as President; and Alex Haley, author of Roots, was a big name keynote speaker (whom the interns got to meet personally). To put this in perspective, it was a pre-PC world when I joined this “technology” profession, a time when technology referred more to a process rather than a device. My fellow interns were mostly doctoral candidates so I felt particularly fortunate to have made the cut as a Masters student from the University of Georgia (UGA). I was not as attuned to the profession as the others since my study in the field had only started a year earlier; but we were all privileged to mingle with many authors whose work I had been reading in my graduate course classes (Robert Heinich, Don Ely, and Michael Molenda, for example). Our motley group was best of friends by the end of that convention. For several years afterward, many of the 1977 interns would gather at the AECT conventions we attended to catch up and share “battle” stories. This group certainly had its success stories. Phil Turner went on to become the Dean of the School of Library & Information Services at the University of Alabama. He retired and went over to the University of North Texas to become the dean of their library school and is now the Vice Provost for Learning Enhancement. 16

Greg LaHatte

Alan Chute established the AT&T National Teletraining Center and the AT&T Teletraining Networks, which won the 10-Year Distinguished Service to the Industry Award from the United States Distance Learning Association. In 1994, Alan was elected to the Hall of Fame of the International Teleconferencing Association. Barbara Martin (now at the University of Central Florida), Doris Brodeur (now at MIT), and Arnold Crump (now at Xavier University) have all had very successful careers in higher education. Barbara has published often and was almost always presenting at AECT conventions as well. Doris has traveled the world doing consulting and presenting. My career path has included higher education and industry jobs. I now direct a broadcast and distance learning group for Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) outside Atlanta. My team runs a 24-hour cable channel and produces several TechTrends • July/August2007

Telly Award winning shows. We also support all the broadcast and AV classroom technology in GCPS, which is the largest school system in Georgia and the 15th largest in the nation. Relationships and motivation were the greatest treasure I experienced from this initial internship award. A trip to Lake Okoboji and some other national opportunities afforded me even more professional friends like Dick Cornell, Elaine Didier, and Roger Tipling, among others. My interest in our field and in promoting professional activities could never have flourished without all of these personal associations. My active role in GAIT (Georgia Association for Instructional Technology) led to national involvement by Georgians Jay Harriman, Robert Harrell, Jackie Hill, Bob Hart, and Sandra Stratford, as we became the original founders of the famed “Georgia Mafia,” a group embraced by many AECT’ers throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s. We could throw a party! I actually started out as a Special Education teacher in my first job, so it is funny that thirty years later, I find myself back in the K-12 arena at a school system. Ironically, our system continues to embrace the Student Media Festival. I dare say Gwinnett County hosts the largest district student media festival in the country (over 450 entries this year). The Georgia Student Media Festival continued its success with over 950 entries in 2007. Most don’t know here in Gwinnett, but Jim King, a former UGA professor, was another AECT mentor of mine who helped start the now Volume 51, Number 4

famed International Student Media Festival (ISMF). And, yes, he dragged many of us young professionals along for the ride back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. You can imagine how interesting it is now to see the world of teaching and learning in our public schools talking about integrating curriculums and applying models to teaching modalities that include analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The “science” of teaching and the fact that we are now able to identify specific and effective strategies brings me back to the many earlier conversations I had with my friends when we discussed the merits of applying various instructional design models to the classroom milieu. You see, in many ways and in all my journeys, I was never too far away from professionals whom I could call true friends – those who were willing to help and share as I needed. That may be the best lesson learned of all and the reason that young professionals should seek these types of awards and opportunities. Colleagues you meet along the way will have positive influences on your own career, but even more important, some will become your best friends as well. Greg LaHatte is the Director of Broadcast & Distance Learning, Gwinnett County Public Schools. [email protected]

Greg LaHatte’s employment history

Educational Communications & Technology Foundation Something for Everyone! The ect Foundation, a foundation affiliated with

the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, works for you to provide scholarships, fellowships, internships, and leadership development activities within AECT. For students of instructional media:  The ect Foundation provides awards, internships, and scholarships to recognize research and academic achievement. For the emerging professional: Leadership support from your ect Foundation includes support of summer conferences, convention keynote speakers, and various awards and activities. For the seasoned professional:  In addition to the above, the ect Foundation offers the opportunity to give something back to the profession you love, supporting new students and professionals as they enter and grow in the field.

Remember the past and contribute to the Future!

Director, Technology Services. Dunwoody Campus, Georgia Perimeter College. Atlanta, GA. Director, Office of Instructional Technology. College of Education - University of Georgia. Athens, GA. Director, Communications & Training. Days Inns of America. Atlanta, GA. Director, AV Services and Assistant Professor of Broadcast & Journalism. Brenau University. Gainesville, GA. Instructor, Educational Media & Librarianship. College of Education, University of Georgia. Athens, GA.

Ect Foundation is a 503c3 organization making your contributions tax-deductible. Support the ect Foundation Capital Campaign, and help us build for the future of educational technology.

Volume 51, Number 4

TechTrends • July/August 2007

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